Saturday, March 7, 2009

Chick Lit = Princess Culture

I've posted before about how I feel about the pink princess culture. Frankly, it makes me grateful that I have sons! I find it much more acceptable, somehow, for my 2-year-old to be interested in princesses because he's a boy...and he will not feel the pressure to be like a princess himself as he grows up!

The princess culture is pervasive. A couple of years ago, Kieran was invited to a princess party by one of his preschool friends. He was the only boy invited, and he was an adorable little prince. But every one of the girls seemed to own a princess gown. Isn't that bizarre, given the way we grew up as little girls?

Kieran with all the princesses

I just finished reading a book that would be classified as "chick lit." I'm not crazy about that term, mostly because many books by women nowadays get saddled with that label, even if they are not about shopping, rags to riches, and romance.

After reading a number of much more serious books, this light frothy novel called to me from the shelves of the library. By the end of the novel I was frankly tired of the designer name dropping, and the idea that she was "gorgeous," but all she needed were a great haircut, expensive makeup, and designer clothing to make it so. I felt like I had just gorged on a big bag of potato chips...having eaten junk but not feeling filled up.

And then it occurred to me: there seems to be a parallel between the time when the princess culture came alive and when "chick lit" became popular. "Chick lit" is the princess culture on steroids and with designer clothing.

Ugh. What a waste of good reading time. I guess I need to read a two-star book every once in awhile to appreciate the really good ones!!